The Air Even Smells Like Pumpkin!

Ok, so I live in Texas, but as soon as the a/c stops kicking on every 30 minutes it means it's fall y'all!  With fall comes fallish things.  Pumpkin and bat cookies, jack-o-lantern mug, pumpkin spice flavored creamer, and the occasional giant bag of candy for the Trick-or-Treaters that I may or may not grab from every so often.  Don't forget, because I'm the perfect mother (not) I also make the fun Spooky meals!  Mummy meatloaf, ghost toast, salty bones, and mummy dogs!

With all this happy there has to be a sad.  Our beloved Halloween yard inflatable horse, Panther, has had to be put down.  He was already having trouble standing and the cold front that blew in with 50+ winds proved to be too much for him.  Never fear!  We ordered a new steed!  He is due to arrive to our home on the 27th so keep your fingers crossed!  The kids would hate if the new "Panther" couldn't celebrate All Hallows Eve with them.  Yard inflatables are so comforting!!!

New Panther

Old Panther

Good Ol' Days

Old ice cream bowl in a new ice cream bowl

A few days ago we all felt like we wanted a dairy dessert after dinner.  I was about to get the same ice cream bowl that we always use out of the cupboard, but then the cute, green, ice cream bowls in my china cabinet caught my eye.  There was a piece of paper on the bottom of the bowl that said Victorian 1937.  I called my mom and she said that they are Art Deco but the date was correct (my Grandmother thought they were Victorian).  Go ahead and google some photos of people from 1937.  Are any of them overweight?  I think not!  Why?  Because they didn't eat the ridiculous portions we do now!  I'm going to try to get my portions to mimic the portions from the 30s.  Portion control is comforting.

This is a typical 30s family

School Days, School Days...Dear Old Golden Rule Days

It's nice to live close to the school.  We wanted to use our driveway to celebrate the beginning of a new school year!  I think most appreciated the little note.  Buck and Catie had a great time chalking our drive.  Catie was made to go to school.  She was so stoked!  Buck did not appreciate my taste in shirts and wanted to wear a gorilla t-shirt instead.  He wore it the next day, but he still had a sour start to the new year.  Fortunately, he was able to forgive me.  I had a difficult time accepting the fact that my baby is now in school.  As they walked into their classrooms I felt like my babes were now months away from graduating from high school.  What will I do with myself?  Watching your kids go through life's stages is comforting.

Already bribing the teachers with gifts.

Skating is Still "In"

Back in my day we thought skating was a real treat!  I had not been skating since I moved back to Texas.  Apparently, this is a fun/cool thing to do STILL!  Catie and Buck wanted to have their birthday parties at the skating rink, Silverwings, so they had a combined party.  They had a blast, and the theme worked out since both are into Power Rangers at the moment.  It amazed me how many older kids were there and deep down I wished that when my kids get that age they will want to go skating on Friday nights instead of the things that my friends and I tried to convince our parents to let us do!  Silverwings took great care of us and I would use them again for a fun party.  Old school skating is comforting.

"Oh Fair New Mexico....."

My parents, luckily for me, have a great house in Taos.  It is awesome for the winter so we can get our skiing needs accomplished and equally awesome for summer so that we can escape the Texas heat.  The drive was dreadful!  Left at 5:30am and arrived at 5:00pm.  The kids were great and I had my first experience with 5 hour energy drink.  Every time I drank a sip I imagined poison going into my body.  I got over it when I considered napping on the side of the road.  Once in New Mexico it was so much cooler!  The high one day was 86!  The kids love it there mainly because we can get outside a lot.  We walked to the plaza and went to the kids favorite place, Twirl.  I love watching all the eccentric moms give their kids organic snacks and wrap their dreadlocks up in fashionable scarfs.  One day included a hike to some hot springs by the river....I want to go there in the winter and check out the steam among the snow.  The kids loved the idea of getting in with their clothes on.  They were dry by the time we got to the top of the trail!!!  Being in New Mexico made me anxious for some cooler weather here in Texas.  Cool weather is comforting.

Giant chair at Twirl

Having some Suga time at Twirl

Ski lifts aren't only for the winter

This is our family hiking picture

Now that's what I call hiking

Found the hot springs!!!

A New Era

Isn't she lovely?

It's 2005 and I have a baby in my arms and a baby in my belly.  I desperately wanted a brand new minivan....it has automatic doors!!!  We went to the dealership and 8 hours later left with a prize.  Because of the automatic doors and gadgets, I started getting paranoid now that it is 6 (almost 7) years old.  Soon those gadgets are going to break...how much will that cost me?!  Carmax gave me exactly what I wanted for my trusty ride and I decided it was time for her to go.  After all that we had been through we had come to the end of our road.  As I cleaned it out (the Stow N'go) I found all sorts of memories.  Toys we obtained at various places and trips, our dog's leash (RIP Lilo), a Dsi game, broken crayons, etc. all of these oddly brought tears to my eyes.  This is a machine, not a pet!  I needed to let it go.  So with great sadness I say to my old friend, farewell.  You were good to our little family, and the times we had in it were comforting.

Loved the big back windows!

Good times in the front seat.

Who Needs the Fancy?

Fatso.  My foot is there so you can see the fatness we are dealing with here.

A lot of people are crazy about their pets.  I am a dog lover, but my Mother keeps cats and dogs at her house.  Her inside cat, Fatso, is on the plump side and is a bit spoiled.  He always has a plush cat bed, and drinks out of a running water cat bowl.  One day Fatso found that he likes to lay on a box instead of his bed. The plush bed is gone and when the box gets worn my Mom has to buy something that will come in a good "bed" box for Fatso.  Who needs the plush temperpedic bed?  Not Fatso.  It's the simple things that are comforting.  Let's hope that the next box will contain something for me!

Not comfy

Comfy